Articles

This year will probably
feature the least amount of high-profile adventure games in the
last 8 years that I’ve attended the
E3, but there will also be more adventure developers in attendance
than I can ever remember. So while they won’t be cloistered
in over-priced E3 booths, we’ll be meeting in private with
numerous developers anxious to get the word about their new games
out to the adventure community.

We’ll have more information – such
as publishers, release dates, screenshots and trailers – on all
of the below games after
the E3, but for now we just wanted to give you a taste of what to
expect.

A Vampyre’s
Story

Lucas Arts decision to
quit making adventure games was, inadvertently, a stroke of good
fortune for the adventure community. Now we have
Bill Tiller developing A Vampyre’s Story, Dan Connors working
on Bone and a few other as yet unannounced projects from former Lucas
Arts talent.

A Vampyre’s
Story follows the humorous trials and tribulations of an unhappy vampire.
If the early screenshots are an indication,
this has the makings of an immediate classic.

Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None

In the classic story ‘And
Then There Were None’ 10
people, each with something to hide, are invited to a lonely mansion
on Shipwreck
Island by a host who fails to appear. They are cut off from everything
but each other and the inescapable shadows of their own past lives.
One by one, the guests share the darkest secrets of their wicked
pasts. And one by one, they die…

Although the storyline stays true to the original concept, players
will encounter new plot twists. The first comes in the form of an
11th character, the player, a boatman who brings the others to the
island and then is trapped there himself. To save the lives of the
intended victims, the player must unravel the motives behind the
murders and uncover the identity of the killer. If successful, he
will spare not only the lives of the remaining guests, but also his
own.

Al Emmo & The Lost Dutchman’s Mine

We are currently playing
a full version of this game and I can’t
wait to meet the talented developers. Their previous efforts were
the fantastic updates of King’s Quest 1 & 2 and with Al
Emmo, Himalaya (formerly Tierra) has succeeded in recreating the
feel and quality of Sierra. Even more amazing is that while Al
Emmo & the
Lost Dutchman’s Mine is a game I would gladly pay for at retail,
it will be available for free on the internet.

Ankh

All Assil wanted was
to enjoy the evening with his friends. He got into the new pyramid
build by his father, gave a huge party and – got in serious trouble
with the gods. Now he’s cursed and has got to find a way to get rid
of this disgrace. In Ankh, the upcoming 3D adventure by German based Rebel
Games, players help as they can: Elements of classic adventures await them
in an exciting 3D world, designed and animated in state-of-the-art graphics.
Animated with care to detail, new elements to experience are everywhere.
Flags and trees in the wind and lots of other tiny elements in the beautiful
surroundings are everywhere to see. This is just one detail of the exciting
graphics of Ankh. Cinematic cutting scenes, designed by experts from the
movie industry, are another example. But it’s not just the graphics:
Of course, there are tons of exciting and mind-grapping, adventure-style
riddles giving Ankh its unique charm and mood. Beginners as well as adventure
experts will be fascinated by the emerging story plot. On the other hand,
the simple and intuitive designed game play will allow everyone to jump
right into the game.

Around the World in 80 Days

Frogwares is back with
yet another game based on a Jules Verne classic novel. Early screenshots
from Around the World in 80 Days look very
promising and we’ll have more information on both this game
and Frogwares’ new Sherlock Holmes game in just a few days.

Aura 2

You asked for it and The
Adventure Company listened – a sequel
to the popular Aura. Very little information is available at the
moment, but look for lots of screenshots and some plot details in
the upcoming days.

Bone

Travel to Boneville as
you converse and interact with all your favorite characters from
Jeff Smith’s Bone: Out From Boneville.

Telltale
Games – a new company comprised of talented ex-LucasArts
employees – promises to be the hot new developers of the year
and Bone is already shaping up as a must-have game. We will be meeting
with developer Dan Connors and will lots more material on Bone in
the weeks ahead.

Dead Mountaineer’s Hotel

This game is based on
the original story by the famous Russian science fiction authors – the Strugatsky brothers. Dead
Mountaineer’s
Hotel will feature a point-and-click interface in 3D. The gameplay
is based on the ‘living world’ concept. The characters
have their own activities in the game world and they won’t
stand still waiting for the player to approach even if they have
some business with them. The hotel is inhabited by 15 characters
each with different stories and unique personalities conforming their
prototypes from the true spirit of the Strugatsky brother’s
original story.

Dreamfall: The Longest Journey

A sequel to one of the
best adventure games of all-time, Dreamfall will be released for
PC and Xbox and feature (prepare for p.r. hype) “three
distinctively different playable characters and exciting action-adventure
game play, wrapped in a mature, exhilarating and innovative storyline.
Prepare for an epic, emotional and visually stunning journey.” You
can read our pre-E3 preview here.

Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern

Kheops is quickly building a reputation for quality games and early
screenshots from Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern also look promising.

Delve into a world of exploration and intrigue as you embark on
a quest filled with puzzles and mystery. Use your wits and powers
of observation to survive the vast wilderness as your journey leads
you to one of mankind’s forgotten wonders.

Experience your adventure through the eyes of Arok and meet many
fascinating characters. Contend with the wild world where fishing,
hunting, gathering, and mysterious shamanist ceremonies are all part
of the struggle for survival as you unravel the secrets of the lost
cavern.

Also featured is an integrated encyclopedia filled with historically
accurate data on the Paleolithic period. Pristine photo-realistic
graphics and environments including rivers, troglodyte caves, and
green valleys, will take players back to the dawn of human existence.

Fatal Frame 3: The Curse of the Tattoo

Tecmo’s popular survival horror game (with strong adventure
elements) is back for a third installment this Halloween. This time
you play as Rei Kurosawa, a young woman mourning the death of her
fiancée in a car crash. Overcome with guilt and pain, Rei
sets off on a terrifying journey to the House of Sleep where “her
nightmares become reality and finding the truth is the only way out.” Solve
the mystery of the Curse of the Tattoo by once again using the Camera
Obscura to stop evil from developing. The previous Fatal
Frame games
have received rave reviews at Just Adventure and we expect this one
to be just as horrific.

Fenimore
Fillmore’s
Revenge

In this sequel to The
Westerner (aka Wanted: A Wild Western Adventure), Revistronic is
aiming for a more mature and even tougher aspect,
with an atmosphere and a script more in the line of the acclaimed
spaghetti westerns. There will be more shooting sequences, using
the mouse, and an increase in the action which will make the game
even more exciting, although without giving up the unmistakable adventurous
style and the use of 3D point & click. Gone will be the childish
aspect of the characters and the caricatured humour of the previous
deliveries, as we accentuate the sarcasm and the hardness of their
expressions and actions. Even if Rhiannon and Fenimore, are changing
so much in their physical aspect, the player will be always able
to recognize them as The Westerner‘s main characters and their personality
will become rougher and more mature.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Players assume the role
of Detective Robert Goren to investigate four new murder cases.
Scour crime scenes for evidence, interview
witnesses and interrogate suspects as you track down killers. Featuring
voices and likenesses from members of the show’s cast, this
third-person adventure game will have you believing you stepped into
the show.

Lost Paradise

This game is the first from White
Bird Productions, a company formed
by some high-profile ex-Microids staff and Benoit Sokal, he of Syberia fame. White Bird does not have an official booth at E3, but we are
meeting with them in private and have been informed that they have
some good news.

Metronome

Metronome promises to be an innovative and next generation adventure
gaming where the use of sound is your both your ally and weapon (ala
Loom). Fantastic graphics in a world populated with bizarre characters
and dark humor could push this currently unknown title to sleeper
status.

Myst V

The best-selling adventure
franchise of all-time is back for a fifth and, possibly, last installment.
Not much information has yet to
be revealed, but we’re meeting with Myst creator Rand Miller
and you just know we’re going to trick him into revealing some
top-secret information!

Nancy Drew Secret of the Old Clock

Nancy Drew goes retro
as her latest game takes place during its original publishing date
in the 1930’s. Her Interactive always
has lots of screenshots and background material for Just Adventure
at the E3, so tune in later for an update.

Perplex City

Perplex City is marketing
itself as the largest and most ambitious Alternate Reality Game
ever constructed. The game blends a global
treasure with compelling puzzles across a wide range of media including
mysterious websites, cryptic billboards, mobile phones, magazine
advertisements, actors, skywriters and real life events. We’ll
let you know if these promises are realistic or just wishful thinking.

RHEM 2

Got Game Entertainment and Knut Mueller are back with a sequel to
the Myst-clone RHEM. The only information we have at the moment is
some new screenshots, but we should have an update for you soon.

Runaway 2

Another sequel, this time
to the critically acclaimed Spanish-developed Runaway. Brian and
Gina are back for more adventures, more hair-raising
danger and more last minute escapes. Will Brian ever return to college?
Will Gina’s clothes get skimpier as the game progresses? Be
here next week as we answer those and other burning questions.

Tony Tough 2: A Rake’s Progress

This sequel to the humorous
Tony
Tough & the
Night of Roasted Moths features a classic
point-and-click interface with modern 3D characters in beautifully
rendered backgrounds. Dark humor and a
more adult approach should attract a wider audience. You can follow
the progress of Tony Tough 2 at our exclusive Developer’s
Journal.